COVID-19 Pandemic: how we should respond

No Abstract

Household air pollution and childhood pneumonia in South Sudan: Will clean cooking stoves reduce the incidence and mortality?

Pneumonia causes more childhood deaths compared to other infectious diseases. Studies have showed that young children exposed to household air pollution (smoke) caused by burning of unprocessed solid fuels such as wood, charcoal, crop waste, animal dung and coal had double the risk of pneumonia infections compared to children who are not exposed or those from families using cleaner fuels such as electricity or gas. In 2012, more than half a million children below the age of 5 years died as a result of exposure to household air pollution worldwide. Based on studies which have indicated that reduction of household air pollution also reduces its health risks such as pneumonia, the World Health Organization recommended the use of cleaner fuels and/or technologies that offer significant health benefits, including the use of clean cooking stoves. Around 99% or all households in South Sudan use solid fuels for cooking in both rural and urban areas. This puts children in South Sudan at risk of pneumonia related deaths attributed to household air pollution. Therefore, promoting the use of clean/improved cook stoves such as the Uga Cooking Stove (locally made in Uganda, using charcoal) is critical to reduce the risk of childhood pneumonia and pneumonia related death in South Sudan.Keywords:  Household air pollution, childhood pneumonia, South Sudan, clean cooking stove

COVID-19 Case Management

No Abstract

Assessment of knowledge of hand washing among health care providers in Juba Teaching Hospital, South Sudan

Background: Nosocomial infections increase mortality and morbidity although adherence to simple hand washing procedures is suggested to reduce these. Purpose: To assess knowledge of hand washing among health care providers in Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH) in South Sudan and establish associations with demographic, professional and clinical factors. Methods: A total of204 participants (126 men and 78 women) enrolled in a cross-sectional survey. Demographic, professional and clinical factors and knowledge scores (correct answers from 25 questions) were obtained and compared using t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test and correlation coefficient (r) as appropriate. Results: Participants were aged 29.8 (SD, 5.4) years. The majority (62.7%) had no hand washing training within the last three years. Inconsistent answers regarding knowledge were obtained with a mean knowledge score 15.02 (SD, 2.73). Age was associated with hand hygiene training as those untrained (mean 30.6, SD 5.5 years) were significantly older than those trained (28.5, SD 4.9 years); t = 2.60; p < 0.01. Age was also associated with knowledge score (r = -0.14, p = 0.048). However, there was no significant association between hand hygiene training and knowledge score (trained, 15.39, SD 3.07; untrained, 14.80, SD 2.48); t = 1.41; p = 0.15. Conclusion: Insufficient and inconsistent knowledge of hand hygiene was evident and younger workers were more likely to have attended recent hand hygiene training and had better knowledge of hygienic patient care than older health care workers in JTH

Hepatocellular carcinoma in South Sudan: possible aetiologies, presentation, diagnostic challenges and ways forward

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the common malignancies in both the developed and developing worlds. This is most likely due to its wide variety of causes. The aetiologies vary from one part of the world to another determined by many factors ranging from geography, life style, availability of advanced medical care etc among many others. Though the presentation and diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is straight forward in many developed countries, the reality is different in many resource-constrained regions and countries such as South Sudan which has only one Computer-Tomography machine country wide, lack of most of the non-invasive liver screening tests as well as coupled with lack of medical personnel. However, in spite of these challenges, the authors of this article believe that the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma can be reasonably made considering the clinical presentation of this condition and maximizing the use of available diagnostic tools

Household air pollution and childhood pneumonia in South Sudan: will clean cooking stoves reduce the incidence and mortality?

Pneumonia causes more childhood deaths compared to other infectious diseases. Studies have showed that young children exposed to household air pollution (smoke) caused by burning of unprocessed solid fuels such as wood, charcoal, crop waste, animal dung and coal had double the risk of pneumonia infections compared to children who are not exposed or those from families using cleaner fuels such as electricity or gas. In 2012, more than half a million children below the age of 5 years died as a result of exposure to household air pollution worldwide. Based on studies which have indicated that reduction of household air pollution also reduces its health risks such as pneumonia, the World Health Organization recommended the use of cleaner fuels and/or technologies that offer significant health benefits, including the use of clean cooking stoves. Around 99% or all households in South Sudan use solid fuels for cooking in both rural and urban areas. This puts children in South Sudan at risk of pneumonia related deaths attributed to household air pollution. Therefore, promoting the use of clean/improved cook stoves such as the Uga Cooking Stove (locally made in Uganda, using charcoal) is critical to reduce the risk of childhood pneumonia and pneumonia related death in South Sudan